Styal Prison information

The main prison buildings were built as an orphanage in the 1890s which closed in 1956. The site opened as a women's prison in 1962 when female prisoners from Strangeways were transferred in.

From 1983 Young Offenders were admitted and in 1999 a wing was added to accommodate unsentenced female prisoners following the closure of Risley's remand centre, increasing the prison size by 60%.

In January 2015 a 25 bed open unit was officially opened by Right Honorable MP Simon Hughes. The Clink restaurant followed in March 2015, in what was once the former chapel. Many of our women employed in the Clink are securing employment opportunities on release.

Reception criteria: Styal receives adult women and, in some cases, young offenders, directly from the courts. Upon arrival women are held on the First Night Centre for up to 48 hours, during which time they receive an initial induction programme. Styal has a Mother and Baby unit which houses mothers with babies, up to the age of 18 months. Places within this unit are by application. Transfer of prisoners from other prisons must be arranged in advance.

Regime Activities: Styal offers a variety of activities that focus on addressing offender behaviour and equipping women to deal with the challenges of life outside prison. Education plays a key part within the regime, with basic courses in English and Maths being provided, supplemented with higher levels of learning. Styal also offers vocational training, providing women with transferable skills that they will be able to utilise upon their release to gain employment in the community.

Drug and Alcohol intervention is addressed through dedicated programmes, which allow women to understand how these impact on their own lives and those around them. To support this Styal offers a drug free house, in which women partake in a constructive regime, aimed to reduce the risk of reoffending through drugs and alcohol.